“Now, let’s see. Charlie is dark green, Blondie is yellow, Desi is purple, Sundae is turquoise … no wait — Nestle is purple and Saffron is yellow… no, that’s not right either. Oh bother! There has to be an easier way to count these votes.”

(by Teri Mo)

Twice now, 2 Million Dogs has posted the running totals in our “Cancer Can’t Keep a Good Dog Down” Calendar Contest.

If you haven’t heard of the contest, it’s Luke Robinson’s fun little brainchild. Once a year, we ask people whose dogs currently have cancer or dog owners who have lost a dog to cancer to send us their dogs’ stories and photos.

We compile the stories and let the public decide which pups will be in next year’s 2 Million Dogs’ calendar. The public votes HERE, and the proceeds support comparative oncology (cancer) research.

It’s still early in the contest, and a few of our pups — our sweet, big-eyed, adorable pups — have no votes yet. (Cue crowd going “Awwwwwww.”)

But don’t worry — there’s plenty of time to get votes! Here’s how to boost those numbers:

When we feature your favorite dog on our 2 Million Dogs’ Facebook page, share it on your Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest accounts, and use the words “vote and share!” Nothing helps you make your case like big, irresistible puppy-dog eyes.
Host a Puppy Up! Blitz on your lunch hour and invite your co-workers. Pick a dog for each co-worker. Whoever raises the most money for their dog by the end of the lunch break gets a box of fresh doughnuts the next morning.

Ask your co-workers to participate in a Give Up Your Daily Drink (soda or coffee) For Cancer Day. Everyone gives up his or her daily latte or soda, and the right to complain about it is “bought” by voting for your favorite pup with the money you didn’t spend on an Iced Calorie Bomb with three pumps of vanilla.

Not a social media person? E-mail friends and family asking each for $10.00 worth of votes for your pup. Avoid caps lock (SHOUTING), and keep the body of your e-mail short and sweet. (Feel free to use anything we’ve written here when explaining the contest.)

Write a silly or sweet song about your experience with your dog’s cancer, and post it on YouTube with the link to your dog’s calendar contest fundraising page. This is guaranteed to boost those numbers.

If your dog isn’t a contestant, pick your favorite underdog and dare all your friends to do their good deed for the day by bombarding that page with votes.

Tell your family and friends that the votes are a birthday gift to you. Tell them the only thing you want for your birthday is votes for your pup.

If your neighbors have dogs or they just miss your pup, get their e-mail addresses and share the contest with them.

This is all going to a good cause, so everyone wins. Save the puppies, save the people! Puppy up!

(Teri Mo is our resident social media guru.)